BP Rania Tries to "Start A Fire"

Rania is back…sort of. Reinvention is the name of the game when it comes to K-pop and Rania has returned as BP (Black Pearl) Rania, with a new line up and a new song in the hopes of taking their career in a new direction. Since last year’s additions of Zi.U, Hyeme, and Alex, three new members–Jieun, Yumin, and Ttabo–have joined the group. On top of that, Saem, one of the group’s original debut members, has returned with the stage name Yina. All those changes are enough to make a person dizzy, though the group has taken it in stride in order to produce “Start A Fire.” However, changing members and names doesn’t make a comeback.

There’s a definite shift in tone between this comeback and “Demonstrate.” While the latter leans toward a sassy dance track, “Start A Fire” is a more mature, jazzy, almost ’90s sounding song.

You got my temperature rising
Setting me up to go down in flames
Everyone know that you’re lying
But blowing smoke is a dangerous game

Our girls are mad at what an ex-lover is trying to do–start a fire. When a breakup happens things can get ugly, and from the lyrics, it’s obvious that this ex is already turning the rumor mill, ready and willing to tell any and every lie that can make them look good and the girl look bad. The girl isn’t having it, however. She tells him straight up that everyone knows the real story, but she’s also realistic about the dangers of what those lies can do. A reputation is hard to rebuild once it’s been tarnished, and by spreading these lies, he’s playing “a dangerous game”.

The second verse furthers the narrative by stating that “I’m taking this like a lady, I may forgive but I don’t forget”. Here’s the plainest, nicest warning this ex is going to get. She’s handling this in the most mature way possible, but there’s also the subtle threat that things can get really nasty if the fire doesn’t get put out soon.

The song isn’t particularly a standout for its genre, in visual aspects or in sound. Black bustiers + heavy eye/lip makeup and boudoir shots seem to be the sign of a girl group acting mature. While the overall look works in the group shots, it’s completely thrown off by Alex’s tulle nightmare of a dress in all her solo shots (more on that later). What the video really lacks is cohesion, a story, because the lyrics deserve that much. However, a bright spot comes in the form of the vocals, Zi.U in particular. Her husky tones really make the song for me.

Now to address the brightly colored elephant in the room: Alex. As with “Demonstrate”, we see Alex for the intro and her verses, with no interaction between her and the rest of the group. Fans have offered the explanation that Alex injured her tailbone and was unable to dance in the video, though there are spaces for her in the choreography.

The biggest question mark here is why is Alex again rapping in English when she can rap in Korean? When she was first introduced as a member of the group, there were concerns that she was being used as a publicity stunt, yet when given a chance to show that she was considered a full member of the group and not just a ‘feature,’ we are again presented with the same thing we got the last time.

“Start a Fire” was a chance for BP Rania to start their own fire. With a new identity and new lineup, they had the chance to blow us out of the water with something fresh to end the year with a bang, yet still keep us interested in the face of all the pending January comebacks. Unless you were in the fandom or just happened across the news, though, then you didn’t even know about it. Furthermore, the song delivered isn’t particularly impressive.

BP Rania does not lack talent, but they are lacking the spark (and management) to take them higher. If they are going to start a fire in the K-pop world, they need to bring stronger fuel.

I really want to like Alex’s inclusion in the group, because she does seem like a lively person with a lot to offer. But every time, we’re reminded that she’s not really part of the group: from the teasers listing her as “Rania starring Alex” to the mismatch in styling with the sleek cocktail dresses for everyone but Alex to her rapping in English instead of Korean (or at least half/half) to her being promoted as the “leader” of a group that can’t be held together to her exclusion in the dance scenes to the fact that the song and MV both seem like two separate songs smooshed together… I could go on. (I also have a sneaking suspicion around how the group is now “black pearl”…) I’d like the group as seven if they actually felt like a group, but everything about the whole arrangement feels contrived and awkward. And having a meh release on top of that doesn’t help matters either.

babydoll23

I’m praying for cohesion during the live stages because otherwise, they really will “Start a Fire” among fans.

Leesha Coleman

Have you seen the live? Didn’t really pan out…

viki32

Yea, I thought Alex was going to be there until the song ends. But, no. The way she disappears after the first few seconds is just ridiculous.

Reminds me of Young-ji in KARD showcase— but Youngji there is a hidden “member”. And Alex?

babydoll23

Ugh… let’s not even talk about it. The way I threw something at my screen when she walked off the stage :|

LeeshaJC

She matched at music core! Do we call this a step forward?

babydoll23

Uhhh… more like a side step. They tried to side step away from the main issue, aka the fact that she still isn’t being fully included in the choreography. I’ve been an A1st since Dr. Feel Good but this is just a hot mess.

LeeshaJC

Dr.Feel Good was the last time I listened to the group. Between that and “Demonstrate” I’d forgotten about them. I’m starting to remember why.

babydoll23

I’ve liked most of their releases (Dr. Feel Good, Style, Just Go, Demonstrate) but idk what they’re doing with this one. It just looks so… thrown together at the last minute. And the company obviously has a “any publicity is good publicity” mentality because they definitely aren’t listening to fans’ complaints. Either that or they’re just ignoring them lol.

LeeshaJC

Weirdly enough, this song is making me like “Demonstrate” a lot more. I mean, I liked it before, but I play it more now

babydoll23

Haha same. Much better song. I enjoyed it when it came out and I enjoy it even more now. Makes me appreciate the vocals that their lineup had. JiEun struggling to hit that high note in “Start a Fire” just grates my nerves. I wish she would just lipsync it, tbh (and I am a huge supporter of live vocals btw) because it is truly tragic.

Desiree’ Long

Alex made her own dress and look on Twitter/other sns Alexandra is perfectly healthy and was at practice and in Korea when the mv was filmed

whateverwha

You know, in the long term, Alex’s status might become uncomfortable for her… the other members will see her either as a privileged b*tch or as that chick that is here but not in the group so let’s not care about her. Instead of making a new element blend in their group and embrace it as a part of them, they prefer to make it stand out and keeps it as foreign as possible to their advantage or to keep it safe. *smh*

horangee

Just watched them open Music Bank with this and was curious. I felt they at least performed well and looked good doing it. Nice informative article. Reading the comments, maybe KPOP should be open to different ways of putting a group together. Just something a little “outside the box”.